


The Ice

by srididdledeedee



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: (near) drowning tw (described in the context of a memory), Established Relationship, M/M, Post-Canon, guy tear and natalia are there too but in the bg, ice skating and remembering less than pleasant incidents from childhood, like about 2ish years after the end of the game, so luke's still not back yet but dist and jade have been together for a minute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 17:28:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28924359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/srididdledeedee/pseuds/srididdledeedee
Summary: “Guy would like to go ice skating.”Jade says it unprompted.  Winter has come to Grand Chokmah, and though it doesn’t get nearly cold enough for the waterfalls to freeze over, there’s a dusting of snow that’s reminiscent enough of Keterburg.  It’s windier, being right on the ocean, and the chill worms its way into Jade’s home.  Dist shivers in place, wrapping his robe (Jade’s robe) tighter around him, and frowns.“Why?” He asks.  “It’s a horrible experience.”---Jade convinces Dist to go ice skating for the first time in years.
Relationships: Jade Curtiss/Dist the Reaper
Comments: 8
Kudos: 9





	The Ice

**Author's Note:**

> It only took (checks watch) eight years for me to write fic for one of my favorite video games and stories of all time. Funny how that works! Drop a comment if you enjoy it

“Guy would like to go ice skating.”

Jade says it unprompted. Winter has come to Grand Chokmah, and though it doesn’t get nearly cold enough for the waterfalls to freeze over, there’s a dusting of snow that’s reminiscent enough of Keterburg. It’s windier, being right on the ocean, and the chill worms its way into Jade’s home. Dist shivers in place, wrapping his robe (Jade’s robe) tighter around him, and frowns.

“Why?” He asks. “It’s a horrible experience.”

“Not everyone thinks so,” Jade says. “In fact, some people think the ice is charming.”

“Some people didn’t grow up surrounded by it,” Dist replies. His eyes narrow suspiciously. “You don’t have anything _planned,_ do you?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea what you could mean,” Jade says innocently. Dist’s eyes narrow further.

“Is it just Guy?” He asks.

“Some of my other former companions are in town as well,” Jade says. “Natalia is here to negotiate with Peony on behalf of her father, and Tear is accompanying her as a bodyguard.”

“Oh, I see. You just want to show off in front of all those children,” Dist grumbles. “You’re terrible.”

Jade smiles, a twinkle in his eye. “The idea of the princess of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear slipping and falling had not even occurred to me, no matter how hilarious a sight that might be. You should be ashamed for even suggesting such a thing.”

Dist can’t bring himself to smile in turn. “If you want to go, be my guest.”

“I’d like you there,” Jade says. He’s become better at being genuine, but Dist is still wary. “It would be a goodwill gesture.”

“I don’t think that’s how the princess will see it,” Dist says with a frown. “You’re not offering many incentives to me in this situation.”

“I think it would be fun,” Jade says. “I’ll be leaving in an hour or so. You can come if you’d like.”

Dist sighs, long and suffering. “Fine. But you won’t get me on the ice.”

(Dist should know by now that Jade doesn’t give up that easily. They’re a perfect match in that way.)

He doesn’t get out on the ice, at first. He sits on the side of the frozen lake, his legs crossed, buried in a coat that’s almost comically large. Guy waves at him, while Tear and Natalia each give him a cursory nod before skating off. They aren’t as wobbly as Dist thought they would be, though none have the confidence that Jade does. 

It’s fine, if not a bit lonely. Dist didn’t expect to be welcomed with open arms by his former enemies, but by Lorelei, it’s been two years. It should be clear that he holds no more ill intentions.

_You’re no stranger to holding a grudge,_ he reminds himself, and he exhales His glasses fog up with the condensation. Perhaps they’ll forgive him by the time they, too, are in their thirties.

Dist is so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he doesn’t realize Jade has left the other three to skate back to the edge of the lake, and is approaching him. It’s unfair. Jade shouldn’t look so graceful in skates, even on land.

“Yes?” Dist asks as Jade comes to sit by him.

“I just need to tighten the laces,” he says.

“Mmm,” Dist says, doubtful. 

“It’s not so bad,” Jade says. “It’s like riding a bike. It’s just muscle memory.”

“You’re despicable,” Dist says. “Despicable and shameless.”

“I brought an extra pair of skates,” Jade offers.

“You’re at least two shoes sizes above me,” Dist deflects.

“They’re Peony’s,” Jade replies. “Come on. You look miserable here.”

“I’ll be more miserable on the ice,” Dist warns.

“Don’t be dramatic,” Jade says.

Dist scowls, but he relents. It’s so hard to say no to Jade, even now. Peony’s skates fit well enough, though their design is a bit lacking for Dist’s taste. He thought royalty would have a bit more panache.

“Were these stolen or borrowed?” He asks.

“Does it matter?” Jade asks.

“If I’m arrested for illegal possession of the emperor’s skates, yes,” Dist says, double-knotting the laces of the right skate. Jade makes no effort to re-tie his own.

“Borrowed, with permission,” Jade says. “Peony said he wished he could join us, but duty calls.” 

Dist is selfishly grateful for that. The only thing worse than the three idiots on the lake with him and Jade would be the three idiots and the idiot emperor. He finishes tying the laces of the left skate and stands up. It’s awkward to move on the blade, and he half-stumbles to the edge of the lake. The ice seems thick enough, but Dist can’t help but be trepidatious. Jade glides back onto the ice, making a large loop to gesture for Dist to join him. 

“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Dist mutters to himself. He cautiously steps out onto the ice, fighting every instinct telling him to stay off it. He begins to slide immediately, and he sticks out his arms to either side, desperately trying to maintain his balance. Jade laughs.

“Not so difficult, even after all these years?” He calls to him, skating by.

Dist can feel himself tilt to one side, and in his panic, reaches out and grabs Jade. 

It’s a miracle he doesn’t take them both down. As it is, Jade’s momentum is lost, and he has to hold out an arm to steady himself, along with his new counterweight.

“Saphir,” Jade says disapprovingly.

“I’m sorry!” Dist says, and he means it. 

Jade sighs. “You’re going to have to let go. We won’t get very far like this.”

“I know, I know,” Dist says, and tries to let go and—doesn’t.

“Saphir,” Jade says again, annoyed.

“I—can’t,” Dist realizes, frozen in place, arm locked around Jade’s. “I can’t let go.”

Jade takes that as an invitation to attempt to pry Dist off himself, but Dist only clings on tighter.

“Jade, I _can’t,”_ he emphasizes, and fear has crept into his voice. “I don’t—what if I fall—I can’t—Jade, please—”

“Everyone has fallen on the ice at some point,” Jade says, exasperated. “If we remain like this, we’ll both fall, and that would be humiliating beyond words. You have to let go.”

Dist shakes his head, paralyzed. He is convinced holding onto Jade is the only thing keeping the ice from cracking under his feet, and him slipping beneath the surface. 

“Everything okay over there?” Guy calls. 

“I told you this was a bad idea,” Dist mutters. 

“We’re fine,” Jade calls back. He looks down at Dist, tutting. “Really, I know you’re attached to me, but isn’t this taking it a bit far, Saphir?”

“I am going to let go of you,” Dist says, trying to quell the panic in his voice. “And I am going to get off the ice.”

“Alright,” Jade says, raising his eyebrows. Dist does not let go. “Saphir?”

“Yes, Jade?”

“You’re still holding onto me.”

“Thank you, Jade. I hadn’t noticed.” Spite is the way to go. Spite is easy to fall back on, and Dist can hide his fear under thick layers of sarcasm. 

Jade makes a noise of disapprovement. “Do you really hate the ice that much?”

“I think I’d be much happier back on the ground, yes,” Dist says. 

“We’re ten feet away from the edge,” Jade says. “Just let go and drift back that way.”

Dist loosens his grip on Jade’s arm slightly, but he immediately begins to teeter to one side again, and he clings on with a renewed vigor. “It’s not that easy!”

“Clearly,” Jade says disparagingly. Dist realizes that they’re moving, albeit slowly, back towards the edge of the lake. He squeezes his eyes shut and waits until his skates bump into the frozen ground, and only then does he let go of Jade’s arm. He sits down right on the snow-covered ground and catches his breath, 

His glasses have slipped all the way down his nose, to the point they’re close to sliding right off his face, and he pushes them back up. He scowls at Jade, still standing at the edge of the ice. “Muscle memory, indeed.” 

Jade sits next to him, his leg pressed against Dist’s. He’s frowning, though not entirely in disapproval—he looks deep in thought. “When was the last time you went skating?”

“When we were children,” Dist says. He tries to resist leaning into Jade’s warmth, but he can’t help it. 

“Which was _when,_ exactly?” Jade presses.

“Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten,” Dist says. “When you dropped me through the ice and I nearly drowned.” 

“You haven’t been ice skating since then?” Jade asks, sounding surprised.

“No, Jade, I _nearly drowned,”_ Dist repeats. Now that he’s free from the immediate danger of the frozen lake, his annoyance is creeping back in full force. “I wasn’t eager to push my luck again.”

“We went ice skating after that, though,” Jade says. 

“You and Peony went ice skating. I would stand on the snow banks and cry until you came back,” Dist says. It's embarrassing to admit, but it's the truth, and it shouldn’t surprise Jade. “Nephry sat with me sometimes, to keep me company. You have to remember. I didn’t even want to go near the lake at first.”

Jade shakes his head. “I...don’t. I’m sorry.”

Dist sighs. It’s not as if he didn’t expect it. Jade was a devil of a child, after all, wrapped up in his own world more often than not.

“What was it like?” Jade asks suddenly. 

“What was what like?” Dist asks.

“Drowning. Nearly drowning, that is,” Jade says. 

Dist considers the question. It’s not a memory he tries to dwell on, but it’s not one he can shake, either.

“It was—cold. Cold and dark,” Dist decides, his voice quiet. “I couldn’t move. I think I went into shock because of the temperature. And I thought that you would come over, and pull me out—because if your artes were strong enough to melt the ice, then you could save me—but you didn’t. I thought I was going to die, and my last thoughts were ‘where’s Jade?’” Dist blows hair out of his face. “And then I woke up in the hospital, and you weren’t there, either. I was scolded for skating where the ice was too thin.” He shudders. “I despise ice skating.”

Jade looks at him. There’s curiosity in his gaze, but something else that Dist can’t quite place. “You hate ice skating, but not me?”

“You have to remember, I was in love with you,” Dist says, and he tries to sound aloof. It’s difficult to do while he’s still shaking a bit. “I didn’t blame you for anything, for better or for worse.”

“I see,” Jade says. He’s still intensely staring at Dist. “Your love is that blinding?”

_“Was,”_ Dist corrects. “Love or not, I see you for who you are now, don’t worry.”

Jade cocks his head to the side, a smile playing on his lips. “And who am I now, may I ask?”

Dist snorts. “A terrible old man who’s too used to getting his way.”

The smile doesn’t leave Jade’s face. “What does that make you? The terrible old man enabling my bad behavior?”

“I’m not old! I’m four months younger than you, don’t group me in with you!” Dist huffs. “And I don’t enable you. You just won’t take no for an answer.”

“You don’t put up much of a fight,” Jade points out.

Dist doesn’t disagree. “You should go back out. Have fun with your friends.”

“Maybe we can go ice skating some other time, just the two of us,” Jade suggests. “I’d hate for your last memory of skating to be so horrendous.”

Dist has known Jade long enough to recognize an apology when he hears it. “That could be…nice.”

“I won’t even melt the ice this time,” Jade offers.

“Terrible old man,” Dist repeats, though there’s a note of fondness in it. “You’re lucky I put up with you, you know. Not many would.”

They sit in silence for a moment, watching the trio fumble around in the distance. There’s a distinct princess-like shriek as Natalia loses her balance, falling onto the ice. Jade chuckles.

“Oh, go show off in front of them,” Dist says. “I’m not going anywhere. Get Guy to fall, if you can. He’s far too confident out there.”

“If you insist,” Jade says, and heads back out onto the ice. It’s funny, watching the four of them out there while Dist sits in the snow. It’s almost nostalgic, and that fills Dist’s chest with warmth.

It’s a simple kind of happiness, but no less sweet.

**Author's Note:**

> (jade also slips on the ice later--even though he's not actually old, he's not as well-practiced as he pretends to be)


End file.
